Seven Thais who live-streamed that they had been duped into working for a scam gang in Cambodia to swindle Thai nationals have been rescued and returned to Thailand.
The two men and five women were returned though the border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province about 7pm on Tuesday by Thai embassy staff and Cambodian security officials, Pol Col Rung Thongmon, chief of Sa Kaeo immigration office, said on Wednesday.
Four of the Thais had passports, the others had no travel documents. They told authorities they had been taken illegally across the border into Cambodia via a natural border crossing.
On Monday, the seven live-streamed their plight on Facebook, seeking help. They said they had been duped by a Chinese-run call scam gang into working from premises in Bavet township in Cambodia’s Svay Rieng province, bordering Vietnam.
They had been ordered to swindle money from Thai nationals using a false Facebook page created to lure victims into applying for loans online and other scams. If they failed to meet their set target, gang members would physically assault them.
They were forced to work about 15 hours a day without payment. The premises were surrounded by an electric fence. They were unable to leave.
In desperation, they turmed to broadcasting their predicament over Facebook.
After seeing their video session, Sa Kaeo immigration coordinated with the Thai embassy and Cambodian security officials in arranging help, Pol Col Rung said.
They were rescued by Cambodian officials and then escorted to the border and handed over to Thai officials about 7pm on Tuesday, he said.